Opposites and Dualities

Where do I begin? Much has happened in the past week and I have observed much about myself in that time. I have contemplated life and its meaning... the constant pursuit of perfection and unwillingness to accept anything less... society would have us believe this is truth. We constantly seek to buy perfection when all the time it surrounds us and we are an integral part of it. Each moment is perfect, different yes... but perfect. Every moment we fully experience and live inside of becomes perfection experienced... the good as well as the bad. How can we fully appreciate or strive for the good until we have experienced the evil and deception of the world and felt pain or saddness because of it. We cannot see one without having seen the other. We cannot experience one without having experienced the other. We cannot appreciate one without having appreciated the others.

We cannot see, experience, or appreciate perfection without having seen, experienced or appreciated the imperfections which constantly surround us. It is within the imperfections that perfection becomes manifest. It is only the darkness that the light is light. A positive is only positive in the face of a negative. Opposites and dualities create the fabric of the world through which we see our lives and the lives of those around us. It is our experience of these opposites and these dualities which shape and move the threads of our lives and color the fabric which we flaunt before the world. There are times when I wonder what is coming in the world... it is only necessary to look at the prevailing attitudes of mind, the prevailing views on the opposites and dualities of life to ascertain the coming tragedy or the coming triumph.

What are the opposites at play in your life in this moment? What are you doing to achieve peace of mind midst this war of opposites and dualities? Peace of mind does not come as we experience the so called good side of the opposites or dualities. Peace of mind, the serenity of the soul, is a constant that weathers the storms of life... it transcends the opposites and the dualities which seem to plague us at times. Midst difficulty, pain and confusion we can experience the same serenity of soul and of mind as we do during the times of ease, comfort and certainty.

Serenity is acceptance of the moment, yet it is also the strength to overcome all that stands in your path... it is peace of mind, it is the essence of an enlightened soul. Have you ever met someone who, no matter what life threw at them, took it in stride and continued on their path? Have you ever met someone who, although they suffered, carried their head high and wore a smile while comforting others? Have you ever met someone who possessed a calmness and an emotional balance that others seemed to be attracted to? Chances are this person possessed the essence of Serenity... a let what come come attitude while simultaneously possessing and radiating the idea of perpetual readiness.

Life is an interesting phenomenon... in it we are invited to create perfection midst a world of imperfect people, imperfect things, imperfect moments, experiences, etc... Amidst this imperfection we being to understand the beauty of perfection and, if we are awake, begin to see that within each imperfect person, thing, moment or experience there is an innate perfection present. We are, each of us, perfect yet imperfect at the same moment. It is our imperfection which makes us perfect. I hope this idea sinks into your soul for it sounds odd on the surface. I invite you to look deeper into the essence of perfection... what is perfect? How is it different for you or for me? What is the perfect day or the perfect mate? Everyone will give a different answer? So... what is perfection...

Perfection is found in each moment, in each lesson, in each experience... the good and the bad. If it were not for some of my worse experiences I should never have experienced some of the greatest. The magic of the good appears when the magic of the worse begins... When what we do not want to happen begins to occur... the magic opposing it begins to work as well. If ever you are struggling and suffering - remember that life is a complex tangle of opposites yet those opposites are always equal. There is always another sunrise to counter act the sunset. The light will always follow the darkness and the day the night. There is always another light on the horizon when the last light has gone out. There is always another hope when all hope has failed us. Remember this when you have come to the end of your rope and can see no way out... a way will appear, doors will be opened, people will be moved... if you can stand... stand... if you can fight... fight... if you can be... be...

We do more by simply being who we are than by all the other actions of our lives combined. Learning of ourselves in relation to the opposites and dualities of life is a way we can come to do this and develop a certain serenity of soul in the process.